Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Bolivia

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park is one of the largest intact parks in the Amazon Basin. It is located in Bolivia. Noel Kempff Mercado National Park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site during the 24th session of the World Heritage Committee which met in Cairns, Australia from 27 November until 2 December, 2000.

Noel Kempff Mercado National Park was originally called Parque Nacional Huanchaca, but was renamed in honor of Bolivian conservationist Professor Noel Kempff Mercado, who was tragically murdered by drug traffickers when he stumbled upon a secret drug lab in the Huanchaca plateau in 1988. It covers an area of 15,234 square kilometers, at the border with Brazil, covering an altitude from 200 meters to close to 1000 meters.

There are approximately 4000 species of plants in Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. They include bromeliads, passifloras, heliconias, araceas and palms. The park is also home to 130 species of mammals including the rare river otters, river dolphins, tapirs, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, giant armadillos, giant anteaters and jaguars. There are also 620 species of birds, with 6 species of macaw, the highest within any protected area, and 70 species of reptiles including black caimans. There are 347 species of insects at Noel Kempff Mercado, including some of the rarest in the world.

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Location Map

Visiting Noel Kempff Mercado National Park

Your base for visiting this World Heritage Site is La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. From there, you can find a travel agency to help help you make the arrangement to go to Noel Kempff Mercado National Park. You can view here a list of budget hotels in La Paz with online booking.